Wedding gifts are given as a token of that love and support. The purpose of wedding gifts is to communicate happiness at the union in a perceptible physical form to newlyweds, and delight in their exhilaration. Traditionally, gift giving was a way to help the newlyweds set up their new household.

The value of a gift should never be judged in monetary terms. A wedding gift should reflect the thought behind it. The belief that the value of a wedding gift should at least be equivalent to the money expended per person at a party is a gross misnomer. In a monetary sense, the kind of relation a guest shares with the couple is a determinant of the gift value. All the same, a handmade gift like a scrapbook ranks high in personal value, although it has little monetary value.

There are various rules of wedding gift-giving etiquette which should be followed. All invited guests who attend the wedding should bring gifts. While giving gifts, one should ideally keep the couple's individual taste in mind. Giving away a golf set to one interested only in active sports is a thoughtless gift and erodes the very purpose of the tradition.